High school roundup: Special teams fuels Highlanders

NEIGHBORHOOD HIGH SCHOOL ROUNDUP

GLENN SATTELL, CHRONICLE CORRESPONDENT

Published
6:30 am CST, Tuesday, November 17, 2009

It came down to a failed extra-point kick in overtime but The Woodlands Highlanders are alive in the Class 5A Division I playoffs. In fact they are the only remaining team from District 14-5A still playing.

The Woodlands (11-0) host Stony Point (10-1) at 6 p.m., Saturday, in Woodforest Stadium for an area round playoff game.

“Hopefully we can exact a little revenge from our trip up there last year,” Highlanders head coach Mark Schmid said.

The Woodlands lost a 21-7 area-round playoff game to Stony Point in 2008.

“They play great defense, so it will be a challenge for us on offense.”

The Highlanders survived their bi-district playoff game on Saturday when Klein Forest missed a PAT kick attempt in overtime. The Woodlands came away with a 32-31 victory at Klein Memorial Stadium.

Highlanders quarterback Trent Eckel threw for 297 yards (14 for 27) and two touchdowns, both to Randy Knust covering 52 and 14 yards. Knust had 110 receiving yards on four catches. Brett Felton added 92 yards on four pass receptions.

Daniel Lasco rushed for 64 yards on 22 carries, including a 13-yard touchdown run and kicker Ben Pruitt connected on field goals of 38, 41, 19 and 24 yards.

“Special teams were big for us,” Schmid said. “We had a lot of kids step up and make big plays, defensively, offensively, and special teams. So it was a team win.”

State cross country

The Woodlands' Sarah Andrews successfully defended her state cross country title on Saturday in Round Rock.

Andrews won the girls' 5A race in a time of 10 minutes, 45.1 seconds to lead The Woodlands girls' team to fourth place in the team standings. College Park was second, with 85 points, behind Kingwood (55).

The Woodlands boys' team successfully defended its team state title as well. The Highlanders won with a score of 65 under first-year coach Juris Green. Klein Oak (77) was second and Cedar Park (101) third.

Cooper runners excel

Three cross country athletes from The John Cooper School recently earned all-conference honors with outstanding performances at the Southwest Preparatory Conference (SPC) Championships in Dallas.

Senior Tim Cousins, junior Alex Spaulding and freshman Mackenzie Kimler were honored for their performances. Cousins (16:48) ran fourth, while Spaulding (17:28) finished 13th in the 163-runner field, to lead the Cooper boys' team to eighth place in the team standings.

Kimler, a freshman, ran 13:04 to finish eighth in the 127-runner field, to lead the Cooper girls' team to sixth place.

“I am very proud of everyone,” Cooper assistant coach Scott Holland said. “We had a strong showing. The conditions were good but it was a tough course.

“We are very encouraged by solid performances by some of our younger runners. Four of our top five girls are freshmen. So we have a very bright future.”

OR falls to Collins

The Oak Ridge football season came to an end on Friday at Klein Memorial Stadium with a 44-7 bi-district playoff loss to undefeated District 13-5A champion Klein Collins.

War Eagles quarterback Ryan Cyr completed four passes for 110 yards, all to Trent Langley, including a 48-yard touchdown pass. For the season, Cyr threw for 1,210 yards and 14 touchdowns. He also rushed for 703 yards and nine touchdowns.

Torrian Oakley finished the season with 920 yards rushing and 11 touchdowns for Oak Ridge, the District 14-5A fourth-place representative, which closes the 2009 season at 5-6.